U.S. Jobless Claims Fall to 5-Year Low

WASHINGTON—A measure of layoffs fell to its lowest level in more than five years last week, but it's unclear if U.S. employers are also boosting hiring during the slow economic recovery.

The number of Americans seeking initial jobless benefits, a proxy for layoffs, decreased by 18,000 to a seasonally adjusted 324,000 in the week ended April 27, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's the lowest level for claims since January 2008,...